Nell Nichols and her husband came to the Red Cross evacuation shelter in Del Norte every morning this week. They came for breakfast and the community meetings about the wildfires that shuttered their small mountain town in southwest Colorado for seven days.The couple, who had been staying with friends, received the news on June 28 they’ve waited a week to hear – the evacuation order was lifted on South Fork and they are going home. Before they left, Nell thanked Red Cross workers for helping people in her town.

“We’re so appreciative of what you’ve done,” Nell told Red Cross shelter manager Joe Louis of the volunteers. “They have compassion. They are compassionate people who stay positive and that’s what we need right now.”

For the last week, the Red Cross provided food, shelter and emotional comfort for South Fork evacuees in nearby Del Norte. The Red Cross will continue to help people affected by wildfires as they return to their homes.